What is an Auditory Learning Style?

In some instances, people may be classified as having different learning strengths. There are a variety of classifications that can be used, but a common one is the auditory/tactile/visual. When this is used it means learners may have a natural preference for one of these and in briefest description they could learn better by hearing, touching/doing, or seeing. In the auditory learning style, people tend to learn better by both hearing and speaking.

A short definition of auditory learning style doesn’t really say much about the way auditory learners tend to function in the learning environment. There are many ways that this strength comes into play for these types of students. They may have some shortcomings that need addressing. Reading may be hard for auditory learners, unless they’re allowed to read aloud, even at a whisper. Being able to speak the words out loud can help reinforce material and improve comprehension.

Speaking is very much part of auditory learning style students. An additional shortfall may be the tendency to occasionally speak too much. While these children and adults are usually eager to participate in the classroom, this enthusiasm sometimes goes a bit overboard. Teachers working with students of this type need to both encourage appropriate contributions and discourage too many of them.

A person with an auditory learning style is likely to be very good at a number of things. Strong speaking skills suggest students will enjoy formats where they get to make oral reports or take oral testing. During lectures such students tend to do very well, taking in much of the material.

Students will also respond positively if they have lectures on tape or if they watch material that is narrated. A student of this type might be best off taping class lectures instead of taking notes on them, since they’ll retain much more from repeated hearing of a lecture. Another tool for this type of student is voice narration programming, so typed notes or material could be read aloud.

Since focus of auditory learning style is on hearing, it’s suggested to teachers that identified auditory learners receive verbal prompting. It can’t always be assumed that this type of learner will get visual cues to do things. There are many ways to give verbal prompts that in no way embarrass the student, if behavior, like too much talking. is creating issues in a classroom.

Lots of methods exist to classify learning styles, and no classification is absolutely perfect. Not every person identified as an auditory learner possesses all common characteristics of the style. There are excellent readers who love to talk, or great listeners that easily pick up visual cues. While this categorization may be useful, and is used by many teachers to try to address different learning styles, it’s also important to understand individual range of each learner. For students, identifying with a style is a good jumping off point, but comprehending personal strengths and weaknesses is most useful when determining how best to learn.